Subject: Indian Geography

India's Blue Revolution, also known as the Neel Kranti Mission, represents a transformative phase in the country's fisheries sector, marked by remarkable growth from 5.34 lakh tonnes in 1950-51 to 44.95 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 in marine fish production, demonstrating the sector's vital role in food security and economic development.

Definition and Significance of Blue Revolution

• Conceptual Framework: Blue Revolution focuses on increasing fish production and productivity through sustainable aquaculture and fisheries management.
• Economic Impact: The sector contributed significantly through exports of 17.81 lakh tonnes of seafood worth ₹60,523.89 crore in 2023-24.
• Livelihood Generation: Creates employment opportunities in fishing, processing, and allied activities supporting coastal communities.

Problems in Pisciculture Development

• Technical Challenges:

  • Disease outbreaks including bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections affecting fish health.
  • Poor quality fish seed impacting production efficiency.
  • Inadequate scientific knowledge transfer to farmers.

• Infrastructure Constraints:

  • Limited fish hatcheries and processing facilities.
  • Insufficient cold storage and transportation facilities.
  • Inadequate modern fishing equipment and technology.

• Economic Issues:

  • High feed costs accounting for 50-87% of production costs.
  • Low market prices affecting profitability.
  • Limited access to formal credit facilities.

Strategic Interventions

• Government Initiatives:

  • Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with an investment of ₹20,050 crore.
  • Blue Revolution Scheme focusing on sustainable fishing practices.
  • Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) supporting infrastructure development.

• Technological Solutions:

  • Promotion of modern aquaculture techniques.
  • Development of disease-resistant fish varieties.
  • Integration of digital technologies for monitoring and management.

• Capacity Building:

  • Training programs for fish farmers.
  • Establishment of demonstration farms.
  • Promotion of best practices in aquaculture.

The success of India's pisciculture sector relies on the effective implementation of these strategic interventions while addressing the existing challenges. Programs like PM-MKSSY and PMMSY are leading the way towards achieving the goals of the Blue Revolution, ensuring sustainable growth and development of the fisheries sector.